Even when I planned for this pregnancy, nothing prepared me for the emotional and mental chaos of being a first-time preggo. How exciting!

To Be or Not to Be Pregnant

It was the night before Thanksgiving in 2025. I nonchalantly took a pregnancy test, not expecting it to be positive because many people told me, “It’s going to take awhile to get pregnant.”

They were wrong. It took a second try and a free-flowing attitude about it to make it happen. It’s like those people who get pregnant because of a careless, drunken night. We simulated that vibe minus the drunkenness, and voila! Welcome to the first trimester, Kristyna…

The Good and the Bad of the Bodily Changes

I always heard about the terror of morning sickness where saltine crackers become a main food group, the weird food cravings that are just munchies without the fun high, and food aversions that make you gag at the thought of a meal that was once a staple in your diet. This is what I expected, but not exactly what I got.

No morning sickness for me, but saltine crackers are now my snack of choice, along with sliced apples, to fill the new bouts of hunger I get throughout the day.

Weird food cravings are not so weird for me, but I do always crave a “refreshing” drink, specifically fruit-based ones like freshly blended watermelon juice at Noodle St. Yum!

And food aversions only happened for one type of fish I used to eat all the time: sea bass. Now, just the smell of it is repulsive.

The symptoms that haunt me are extreme fatigue, bloating, and mild cramps. I’m grateful for these type of symptoms because they’re mild, but I forget I’m pregnant sometimes because they’re mild. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Although my symptoms aren’t so bad, there are the other aspects of it that are troubling for me. For instance, the bloating can be bad.

Fitting in my usual clothes, specifically bottoms, are challenging. I’ve had to get maternity pants sooner to be comfortable. I can’t eat whatever I want or how much ever I want anymore because of the risk of how bad the bloat will be and the chance of acid reflux.

Lastly, the hormones! Being self-aware of the hormonal changes is half the battle. I was already a highly emotional person before pregnancy and it’s definitely heightened now.

I’ve never been the most obsessed and irritated with my husband than I am now and sometimes I want to cuddle and be with my mom like a child who’s been away from home. But underneath it all, I can still be my bubbly and silly self. It’s just hilarious noticing these things.

I’ve also noticed that I get something I like to call “waves of blue,” a cute little term that I use to explain those short spurts of general negative energy that makes me feel down for no reason. When I notice it, I remind myself it’s going to be okay, and chalk it up to hormones.

OB-GYN Adventures

I tried reading the popular, What to Expect When Expecting book, but found it to be overwhelming despite having good, detailed information. It mentioned finding the right doctor or doula, figuring out the right birthing plan, and all this other stuff that makes me feel like pregnancy is as complicated as rocket science.

Can’t I just get the basic care package and call it a day? I put the book away for awhile and just started with finding a doctor I’m comfortable with.

First and foremost, I wanted a doctor that was female, local, and in-network with my health insurance. Then, I narrowed it down by researching reviews (if there are any) about the doctor. Luckily, I found one with a recent good review from a pregnant woman who said I should choose this doctor. If there’s anyone’s opinion I’m going to trust, it’s going to be another preggo!

So far, I’ve had a good experience with this doctor and feel like I can communicate with her and her team quickly and easily. That’s all I’m grateful for at the moment and I’ll see how it goes as my pregnancy progresses.

Pregnancy and Gender Announcement

My husband and I opted for a non-extravagant pregnancy and gender announcement because we are practical people and honestly would rather reserve our funds for the actual pregnancy rather than the announcement of it. Not to bag on others who want the extravagance, to each their own.

But for us, we found out the gender early just between us while in bed on a random weekday (it’s a boy!) and did a cute little photo booth picture announcement that fit perfectly with our tradition of taking many photo both pictures throughout our relationship. It was low-key and fitting for what we wanted!

Our photobooth announcement taken at BOOTH BY BRYANT in Costa Mesa, CA

Maternity Leave

I’ve never felt so much anxiety about anything than I have about maternity leave. Luckily, I work for a company that I’ve been with for a few years, so I’ve stacked up short-term disability insurance (STI) through my paychecks, I have health insurance, and the biggest blessing that I opted in for is a Health Savings Account.

The expenses of just being pregnant, from doctor visits to lab tests, is crazy to say the least. Then there’s actually having the baby and those expenses are wild.

My anxiety is through the roof because I think about if my STI will be enough to pay my rent and other bills, how will I handle child care when my husband and I have to go back to work, what if I can’t deal with driving in hours of traffic for work when I just want to be home with my baby. I know most new mothers worry about this stuff and it’s insane to me the amount of time that is allowed for new mothers to take off work and how much of it is unpaid. That shit is inhumane.

There are women who have been doing this longer, with more kids, and less resources than me, and they’re still out here surviving! I don’t mean to compare, but if they can do it, I can definitely do it. This is just what plagues my mind lately and I know I’m not the only new preggo who feels this way. But in the words of Gloria Gaynor, “I will survive!”

Preggo Diary: An Honest Review of My First Trimester